Regional Differences and Evolution Trendsof Zero Waste Performance in China

Resource scarcity and waste siege are posing serious challenges to global municipal waste management and environmental governance [1,2].In the context of global low-carbon and green transformations, achieving sustainable waste management is a critical issue that urgently needs to be addressed [3,4].The zero waste (ZW) strategy was developed to alleviate the environmental burden and resource depletion caused by solid waste [5].The core of ZW lies in promoting responsible production and consumption patterns, as well as resource reuse and efficient recycling, striving to avoid waste incineration and arbitrary discharge, thereby maximizing the efficiency of natural resource utilization and minimizing negative impacts on the ecological environment [6][7][8].Looking back at history, Canberra, Australia, set an example in 1995 and became the world's first city to implement the ZW